Grain-conveyer.



No. 809,470. v PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906. J. B. SGHUMAN.

GRAIN GONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12. 1904.

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GRAIN OONVEYBR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12, 1904.

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J. B. SGHUMAN. 4

GRAIN OONVEYER APPLICATION FILED DBO, 12, 1904.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

JAMES B. SOHUMAN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTHS TO AUGUSTIN BOIOE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

'GRAlN-CONVEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs B. SGHUMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Conveyers, of which the following is a specification.

In the use of automatic weighing-machines in connection with grain-separators some means is necessary to convey the grain from the machine to a suitable point for bagging.

The object of my present invention is to provide a conveyer for this purpose of such character that it may be very readily adjusted so as to discharge at any desired point upon either side of the machine, the construction being such that the usual cross-conveyer is not necessary.

A further object of my invention is to provide automatic means for preventing the entrance of grain to the throwing-Wheel until an operating speed has been reached.

A further object of my present invention is to provide means for protecting that portion of the conveyer where the grain is turned downward toward the outlet, the arrangement being such that an initial quantity of grain is retained and used as a buffer.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a separator and weighing mechanism in outline and a machine embodying my invention attached thereto in operative position. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the receiving-drum of the conveyer, together with the throwingwheel and automatic inlet, the inlet being closed; Fig. 3, a similar view with the inlet opened. Fig. 4 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 2 with the top plate of the receivingdrum removed. Fig. 5 is a transverse section .of the outer end of the horizontal portion of the conveyer-chute; Fig. 6, a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 a detail of the discharge-spout.

In the drawings, 10 indicates the recelvingdrum, formed of a bottom plate 11, provided with a hub 11, and a top plate 12, the two lates being separated by a sheet-metal annuiils 13. The hub 1 1 is j ournaled in a bracket 14, secured to the side or top of a separator 15, the top of the bracket being preferably level with or slightly above the top of the separator. The drum 10 is provided with a tangential outlet 10, to which is hinge-d at 16 a horizontal spout 17, the arrangement being such that the spout 17 may be swung in a vertical plane on its hinge and brought to or held in any desired position of adjustment by means of a suitable cable 18 and Windlass 19.

Rotatably mounted in bracket 14 and eX- tending up through hub 11 is a vertical shaft 20, to the upper end of which is secured a throwing-wheel 21, which lies within the drum 10. This throwing-wheel is formed of top and bottom plates connected by substantially radial vanes 22, the top plate being provided with a central opening 21, through which the grain may enter, this opening registering with a central opening 12, formed in the top plate 12 of the drum 10. The opening 12 is arranged immediately beneath the discharge portion of an automatic weigher 25 or, if desired, beneath the discharge portion of. the elevator 26, and if this opening were unobstructed at all times grain would flow at times in considerable volumes from the elevator or weigher into the throwing-wheel 21 before said wheel attained a sufficient speed to throw the grain from the drum 10 out along and through the horizontal spout 17. In order to automatically prevent the en trance of any grain into the throwing-wheel until the wheel has reached a proper speed, I provide the following mechanism: Secured to the top plate 12 and entering the opening 12' thereof isa hopper-ring 30, provided with a radial arm 31, which extends to the center thereof. Any suitable hopper structure is secured to this hopper-ring. Pivotally secured to the under side of arm 31 is an arc-shaped finger 32, which at its lower end extends outwardly andcarries an annulus 33, which annulus is used as a friction-drum and is concentric with the throwing-wheel. Pivoted to the hopper 30 beneath the same on suitable hinges 34 is a trap-door 35, which is adapted to close the lower end of the hopper. Door 35 carries on its under face a segmental cam 36 adapted to cooperate with a cam-block 37, carried by the annulus 33. Pivoted to the top plate of the throwing-wheel so as to swing in a plane parallel with the plane of the wheel are two bracket-arms 38 38, each of which is provided with a brake-surface 39, adapted to engage the periphery of the annulus 33, and each arm is drawn lightly into engagement with the annulus by means of spring 40, the arrangement being such that under ordinary conditions with the throwing-wheel at rest the arms 38 engage the annulus 33 with sufficient force to turn it upon the pivot of the finger 32, so as to cause block 37 to engage cam 36 and hold the trap-door 35 closed, as shown in Fig. 2. As the throwing-wheel is rotated the portions 39 of the arms 38 slide around the annulus 33; but when a sui'licient speed has been reached the arms 38 will act as a speed-controlled governor and fiy out against the action of springs 40, so as to release the annulus 33, whereupon the weight of the trap-door 35, together with any grain which may have been deposited thereon, will cause the trap-door to swing downward to the position shown in Fig. 3, the cam 36 operating against the cam-block 37, so as to turn the annulus 33 backward through a short angle. The trap-door will remain open, and thus permit a free flow of grain into the throwing-wheel until the speed of the wheel decreases an amount sufficient to cause the arms 38 to again engage the annulus 33, whereupon the annulus will be turned forward to its normal position, thus causing the cam-block 37 to engage cam 36 and close the trap-door 35. By this means it is impossible to choke the throwing wheel. The grain after it enters the throwing-wheel is thrown by said wheel in a well-known manner outward from the drum 10 and through the horizontal chute 17. At the end of chute 17 I form a horizontal drum 23, which is preferably of considerably greater cross-section than the chute 17 and is provided at its top with perforations 41 to permit free egress of the air which is thrown along with the grain. The outer end of the drum is closed, and a discharge-chute 42 leads downward from the bottom of the drum near its outer end. If the grain were to be thrown directly into engagement with the outer end of drum 40, it would soon cut out any material of which the end was made. In order to prevent this action, I mount in the ends of the drum a honeycomb or cellular structure 43, the cells of which are adapted to receive a limited quantity of grain, which will thus form a grain-surface upon which subsequently-arriving grains will impinge and then fall through the discharge-spout 42, the retained grain thus forming a cushion which will pro tect the end of the drum 40.

The shaft 20 is provided with a suitable pulleyZO, which may be driven in any suitable manner from the separator.

In operation the drum 10, together with the spout 17, is free to be swung in a horizontal plane on the bracket 14, so that the discharge spout 42 may be brought to any desired position. This spout may also be raised and lowered by means of the Windlass 19, and if it is desired to swing the dischargespout 42 to the opposite side of the separator it is merely necessary to swing the spout 17 upward sufliciently to clear the separator, whereupon the whole device may be swung about the hub 11 to the opposite side of the machine.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will of course be understood that in operation the wind-stacker spout, which is shown in transporting position, will be swung around at approximately one hundred and eighty degrees from this point, so that it does not interfere With the movement of my device in the manner just described.

In order to prevent any air from passing downward through spout 42, I mount in said spout a downwardly-inclined valve 50, which is free to swing downward, but is yieldingly held in closed position by a spring or, as shown, a counterbalance 51, the arrangement being such that there can be no flow of grain past the valve until a sufficient quantity of grain has accumulated in the valve to seal the opening against air.

I claim as my invention- 1. A grain-conveyer consisting of a suitable support, a drum journaled thereon, a discharge-spout communicating with said drum and hinged thereto to swing in a plane at an angle to the plane of the drum, means for holding said spout in various positions of adjustment, a throwing-wheel mounted in said drum, a door arranged in the entrance to said drum, and means for automatically opening and closing said door.

2. A grain-conveyer consisting of a drum, a discharge-spout leading therefrom, a throwing-wheel arranged in said drum, a hopper leading to said throwing-wheel, a door for closing said hopper, and speed-controlled means dependent upon the speed of the throwiCpg-Wheel for determining the position of the oor.

3. A grain-conveyer consisting of a receiver, a spout leading therefrom, means for driving the grain through said receiver and spout, a door normally closing entrance to said receiver, and speed-controlled means dependent upon the speed of the grain-driving means for opening and closing said door.

4. The combination, with a threshing-machine, and a grain-elevator, of a grain-conveyer consisting of a drum journaled on a suitable support so as to swing in a horizontal plane beneath the discharge-point of the elevator, a discharge-spout hinged to said drum, the arrangement being such that the dischar e end of the spout may be carried to either side of the thresher, and a throwing- Wheel arranged in said drum.

5. A grain-conveyer consisting of a suitable support, a drum journaled thereon to swing in a horizontal plane, a dischargespout communicating with said drum and hinged thereto to swing in a plane at an angle to the plane of the drum, means for holdmg said spout in various positions of adjustment, a throwing-wheel mounted in said drum, a door closing entrance to said drum, and speed-controlled means carried by the throwing-wheel for automatically operating said door.

6. A grain-conveyer consisting of a receiver, a throwing-wheel mounted therein, a hopper leading into said throwing-wheel, a

door arranged to close said hopper, a brake-.

tity of grain upon which subsequently-arriving grain will impinge.

8. The combination, with a threshing-machine, of a grain-elevator arranged to receive the threshed grain and elevate the same above the top of the thresher, a grain-conveyer consisting of a drum j ournaled on a suitable support to swing in a horizontal plane below the discharge of the grain-elevator, a throwing-wheel arranged therein, anda discharge-spout attached to said drum in a plane above the top of the thresher whereby the discharge end of said spout may be swung to the opposite side of the thresher over the top thereof.

- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 8th day of December, A. D. 1904.

JAMES B. SCHUMAN.

Witnesses:

AUeUsTIN Boron, ARTHUR M. Hoon. 

